Menu

How did you become interested in riding? It began when I met my ex-husband, he rode and I fell in love with being on the bike with him but longed for my OWN power between my legs, so took the course and never looked back at being a back-seat rider!

How long have you been riding: Four glorious years

What kind of bike do you have: 2016 Harley Davidson Slim S.

Advice for new riders or women who want to get into riding? DO IT! For God’s sake, do NOT let anyone tell you, you can’t. Take a course, then practice in your own neighborhood, if it’s a safe area, maybe grab yourself a mentor, someone that will ride with you and help you with riding and safety tips. Most above all else, RIDE EVERY CHANCE YOU GET, the more miles, the more experience! Last piece of advice, pull over and smell the roses!

Favorite moto adventure/dream moto adventure? Has to be The Fox Run, really loved riding there with my friends, moto and camping seem to go hand in hand. My dream moto adventure has to be to ride cross county!

What is the best part of being a woman who rides? The comradery I feel with other women riders, and the power I feel, the freedom I feel, and defying the stereotypes.

And what is the worst part of being a woman who rides? I can’t think of anything negative about being a woman who rides.

Besides riding motorcycles, what other hobbies or passions do you have? I enjoy embroidery, and am a huge foodie! Love to cook, love to eat! I also love to spend time with my girlfriends and my daughter who has been my biggest accomplishment! Jeez, this sounds a bit like a dating ad.

How did you become interested in riding? As with most things in my life, I blame film. I mean what’s cooler than Marlon Brando on a Triumph in the Wild One? Well, maybe Lee Marvin on a Harley Bobber in the same flick…but you get the idea.

How long have you been riding?Since the age of 21 – 16 years.

What kind of bike(s) do you have?At the moment, a 2006 Triumph Thruxton, and a 1971 Yamaha AT1 125 dirt bike. I Just sold my 1968 BSA Custom, a little hotrod scoot (Lightning 650 frame and a ’71 Thunderbolt 650 motor). I’m also thankful enough to get to ride a 1947 Harley Hummer race bike custom built by the Kowalski Customs whenever there’s a good dirt day. Thanks EJ! Looking to build a 60’s British bobber project this year.

Advice for new riders or women who want to get into riding?Just do it. While it’s so much easier now to be a new rider, with the global access to the community, the fundamentals remain the same. You are ALWAYS learning. The minute you think you’ve figured it out, it’ll bite you in the ass. Be humble, ask for help. Whether you join a club or not, ride with many people, often. Take classes. Track days, dirt, MSS, MSF, anything you can find. riding motorcycles is not a cool kid badge, it’s a skill you will work on for the rest of your life. Get out there and have fun!

Favorite moto adventure / dream moto adventure? Getting lost. Whether on a bike or in a vintage car, I’ve never met a road trip I didn’t love. Typing this interview from the Paris airport before I hit the road from Paris to Biarritz for Wheels & Waves with two dear friends Stacie B London (East Side Motobabes, LA) and Irene Kotnik (The Curves Berlin) on Ducati Scramblers. That’s a pretty neat dream come true!

Favorite piece(s) of gear and why?Always changing as this still ain’t easy for us ladies. Today it is a brand new, armored jacket just released by Breaking Hearts & Burning Rubber (a moto gear company owned by rider and friend, the badass Leslie Padoll. It’s got a classic 50’s biker fit (for a girl!), with soft leather, tons of pockets, back, elbow and shoulder armor. Looking forward to testing it out!

What is the best part of being woman who rides? I don’t know exactly… I’ve always been one. The best thing about being a motorcyclist is the instant family one finds in the community. All you have to do is show up and not be a dick, and you’re in. This goes double for women, I think. The Miss-Fires was started as a way for women to find this sense of family and It’s amazing to see true, lasting friendships formed.

And what is the worst part of being woman who rides? I’ve been riding a long time, and then it was harder to get your foot in the door. I was also incredibly insecure so I blame that more than being a woman personally. I wish I had asked for help, and gotten out there more 15 years ago. If I had, I’d have way more miles under my belt and WAY more fun! Having said that, women still find themselves up against the boys club to some extent. With motorcycles as in many things, I think women find themselves having to work harder to prove themselves.

Besides riding motorcycles, what other hobbies or passions do you have?Good grief, where do I start? Motorcycles is a conveyance. And they’re neat, but I love my classic cars. That meme of “four wheels move the body, two wheels move the soul” annoys the crap out of me. Bikes are a way to see the world, or go fast on a track. I am passionate about building and promoting community first and foremost. I run The Miss-Fires. I founded and ran the internationally recognized Motorcycle Film Festival, and since leaving the MFF, I am working as the Curator of Film for The Vintagent. I host a vehicular movie series called Cine Meccanica, and I make seats for custom and vintage motorcycles as well as creating classic car interiors as my company, Via Meccanica. I knit, sew, cook, blog about simple living, and urban homesteading, have made a few films, and generally obsess about the history of all things. Think that’s it for now… but ask me tomorrow 😉

Bonus question! Add anything else you’d like our community to know about you or women riders in general. Get off the internet… and go ride!

How did you become interested in riding? Both of my parents are/were bikers, they met at a bike run in Monticello. My mom sold hers when I was 7 and when I saw her pass it off to another guy on the block I knew I’d fill her spot on the road.

How long have you been riding? 2 years

What kind of bike(s) do you have?I ride a Harley Iron 883 sportster, a recent upgrade from a Yamaha V-Star 250.

Advice for new riders or women who want to get into riding? I went from a decade of bicycle commuting to motorcycles and I think the skills I developed from one really transferred to the other, so get on a bicycle for a while and get a sense of the acute awareness of motorists, pedestrians, road hazards, etc., required to safely ride anything on two wheels.

Favorite piece(s) of gear and why? My Straight to Hell Commando leather jacket. It’s a tough leather jacket, no nonsense, and the price is right. Bought it from an old punk store on St. Mark’s on sale, and got a further discount because the owner knew I was giving up food for the week for that jacket.

(photo credit: @womensmotoexhibit)

What is the best part of being woman who rides?Riding is a great conversation medium — I’m generally a little slow to open up to new people, but motorcycling appeals to so many different types of folks and it’s been way easier for me to get to learn people’s stories from walks of life I wouldn’t have normally sat down with. It helps me keep an open mind.

And what is the worst part of being woman who rides? Hands down, all of the unwanted attention you get on the road. I won’t get into it because I don’t want to discourage anyone, but it’s amazing what people do to try to get the woman on the bike to acknowledge them when you’re trying to focus on what you’re doing.

Besides riding motorcycles, what other hobbies or passions do you have? I’m a competitive powerlifter in the USAPL raw 47kg weight class.

How did you become interested in riding?Riding a motorcycle is something I’ve always wanted to do, but I never gave myself permission to do it. Then, when I married my wife, she empowered me to finally do it. She gave me a helmet (a downpayment on the promise that someday I would be riding) and my first motorcycle lesson. It took a couple more years for me to believe this was something I could do, but finally, I just went for it.

How long have you been riding?1 month!

What kind of bike(s) do you have?1999 Suzuki Savage LS650

Advice for new riders or women who want to get into riding?There is no time like the present. If you want to do it, just do it! I think the desire to ride a motorcycle in and of itself qualifies you. Don’t think that you’re too small, too weak, too poor, too anything. It’s not easy at first, but it’s the challenge that makes it so worthwhile.

Favorite moto adventure / dream moto adventure? Right now, every ride, even if it’s just around the block, is an adventure, since I’m so new to this whole thing. It’s all a thrill!

Favorite piece(s) of gear and why?I love my white Biltwell Gringo helmet because it was first thing my wife gave me that made the dream start to become a reality. Then, a couple years later when I finally got my license, she gave me a Roland Sands leather jacket for my birthday, and it feels better than any superhero cape ever could.

What is the best part of being woman who rides? I think it’s one of the most empowering things a woman can do. It breaks down stereotypes, it fosters self-sufficiency, it builds courage and shows a woman how strong and daring she really can be.

And what is the worst part of being woman who rides? There are many disadvantages like finding woman’s gear, having to compensate for perhaps having less physical strength or height, and sometimes being condescended to by male riders, but overcoming all these things is what makes being a woman motorcyclist even more rewarding and empowering.

Besides riding motorcycles, what other hobbies or passions do you have?I love riding my bicycle around town and writing. You can read a personal piece I wrote that was published in The New York Times here.

How did you become interested in riding? My friends were always into mopeds, and when they transitioned to motorcycles, the appeal was there.

How long have you been riding?20,000+ miles

What kind of bike(s) do you have?A zippy little Sportster

Advice for new riders or women who want to get into riding?Ask questions. Find a lady you trust and have her be a big sis. Ask questions. Take an MSF class. Ask questions. Watch YouTube videos. Ask questions. Read David Hough’s books. Ask questions.

Favorite piece(s) of gear and why?Fringe Harley leather from the 80s. Scooped it from a longtime rider who had retired. She passed along a lifetime of memories and good juju.

What is the best part of being woman who rides? Inspiring other women to ride.

Besides riding motorcycles, what other hobbies or passions do you have?I’m @dailymini and I’m a competitive tennis player. Also enjoy social media, writing, comedy and anything that makes me make *you* laugh.

Bonus question! Add anything else you’d like our community to know about you or women riders in general. If I can rip around on two wheels, you can too. DM me and let’s connect about getting you on the right bike for you at the right time!

Started ripping around on a little 150 scooter. Took the MSF course so I could legally have a passenger. As soon as I learned to ride a motorcycle in the course I was hooked.

How long have you been riding?

About 9 years

What kind of bike(s) do you have?

I have an ’08 Sportster & a ’15 Street Triple R

Advice for new riders or women who want to get into riding?

If you wanna ride, go for it. If you’re new to riding, be smart & be safe but don’t be afraid. Know your comfort zone & be willing to push yourself outside of it little bits at a time.

Favorite moto adventure / dream moto adventure?

Dream moto adventure is to ride on every continent.

Favorite piece(s) of gear and why?

Favorite piece of gear is probably my Shoei helmet. Having a light aerodynamic helmet makes a BIG difference on longer rides or consecutive ride days. Also love the Sena headsets. I go on adventures with my hubby and its awesome being able to chat while we ride.

What is the best part of being woman who rides?

It’s a great way to clear my head & take a break from everything else I’ve got going on.

And what is the worst part of being woman who rides?

I don’t think there are really any downsides. There will always be people who make judgements no matter what you do, but as a woman in general that’s nothing new.

Besides riding motorcycles, what other hobbies or passions do you have?

I’m a mother, a photographer, a baker (cookies are my specialty), and a serious coffee addict. And I prefer to be outdoors whenever possible.